cheapo SDS drill dies - suggestions for replacement?

Well its nice that you are paying attention and learning. Keep it up. Now have a look at what the manual specifies as the maximum dry diamond core diameter:

I avoid Essex like the plague.

I bought one of those two years ago, nice bit of kit. I find the clutch a bit sensitive though.

You need a more powerful SDS to act as a large bore core drill, not that model.

For larger diameter core drilling the Marcrist DDM2 is a good buy at around £200. I got one early last year and it has done great work for the number of 500-600 mm holes I needed to bore for CH, ventilation etc through stone walls. It has also drilled a significant number of holes into bedrock for installation of fence posts.

As well as dry drilling it is fitted fir wet core drilling. Damned impressive and rugged piece of kit.

Drivel talking drivel. Hardly news.

Power is not the limitation as was already highlighted.

Do try to keep up.

I take it that is length rather than diameter? ;-)

Yup looks like a reasonable bit of kit. There seems to be quite a variation in prices on it.

I find the Mak SDS will cope with 4" cores is most walls, but now and then you find one where it is hard work to stop it snagging. I have a Sparky core drill which to be honest is only slightly better (i.e. clutch lets go a bit later) but that was a "needed in a hurry" purchase and it was what was available.

Well no surprises there.

Err yes, the holes were up to 150mm dia. The prospect of a core drill as wide as a washing machine drum is frightening. The 150 mm was bad enough hand held, I reckon only The Thing could hand hold a 600mm core drill.

Yes, I don't know why. I paid £180 for mine. Screw fix was IIRC charging £350ish.

I had a look at the Sparky but a builder friend persuaded me that the Marcrist was better. Although one problem with the Marcrist is that the clutch is set at a very high torque, if it jams it can rip out of your hands. Using the trigger lock isn't a good idea.

Powerful drills are best when drilling brick.

Professionals who use cut core drill regularly use proper diamond core drills. DIYers can get away with using an SDS for the occasional core drilling.

You never knew that being very silly.

Hence why the Hitachi is better.

It does not look like the side handle is that long either which probably does not help. (about the one decent bit of the sparky in fact)

Thanks, I'd sooner have one like that than the very powerful but potential arm breaker/chipped tooth/broken jaw one I used last time.

Yup the clutch is vital for core drilling. As I mentioned to Steve above, even my proper core drill does not have the clutch limit set that much higher (the kick feels similar - but its got a longer side handle, so the real torque is going to be a bit more):